Distributer for cooling-towers and the like.



J. P. GRACE. DISTRIBUTER FOR COOLING` TOWERS AND 'THB LIKE. APPLICATIONFILED JULY 11, 1908.

Patented oct.19,19o9.

Ammsw. B. GRAHAM co.. PHcro-urMuGnAPHERS. wAsmNnrou. n a

UNITED STATISMIATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. GRACE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T HENRY R. WORTI-IINGTON, 0FNEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DISTRIBUTER FOR COOLING-TOWERS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

ApplicationV led July 11, 1908. Serial No. 443,134.

To all whom it may concern: V

Be it known that I JOHN F. GRACE, a citizen of the United Ctates,residing at New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Distributers forCooling- Towers and the Like, fully described and represented in thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthe same.

This invention relates to distributers such as are used for distributingwater over the tops of cooling towers in condensing systems, and fordistributing liquid over an eX- tended surface in other arts, theespecial object of the invention being to provide an improved mountingfor the rotating member of the distributer by which an ecient liquidbearing shall be secured without waste of liquid, and further to provideeiiicient relief devices, brought into operation in case of excess ofpressure or choking of the distributer, and to avoid damage in case ofsudden large increase of pressure.

As the invention can best be explained in connection with constructionsembodying the same, a detailed description of constructions embodyingthe invention in preferred forms will now be given and the featuresforming the invention then specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical central section of thedistributer with the distributing tubes and air pipe broken olf toreduce the size of the drawings. Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in sectionon the line 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing amodified form intended especially for small distributers.

Referring now to the drawings, A is the rotating distributer head orspool, carrying the horizontal distributing pipes B, from which theliquid is distributed through slots or perforations in the pipes, asusual in such constructions. This rotating head or spool A is mounted toslide vertically upon an interior sleeve or chamber forming the headjournal C, having the water inlet 10 at the bottom, with which theliquid supply pipe is connected. Y A lining sleeve 11 of suitable metalis preferably used between the journal C and the head A to form awearing noncorroding surface. The journal C is formed with a bearingsurface 1 on its top edge, co-

acting with a similar bearing surface 2 on the cap 12 of head A, thehead being raised and the liquid passing from the interior of thejournal C to the tubes B between these bearing surfaces 1, 2, when thedistributer is in action. The journal C is provided also with reliefopenings 13 near the lower edge of the head A, through which liquid iswasted when the head is raised too high by excess of pressure or chokingof the distributer, thus relieving the pressure and preventing injury tothe distributer.

As air is likely to accumulate at the top of the journal C below thehead A which might interfere with the operation of the distributer, anair escape at the top of the distributer is preferably provided, thisair escape being shown as secured by a central opening in cap 12 withwhich is connected air escape pipe 14, which extends upward to such aheight as to prevent the flow of water through it, the air escapingthrough the water in the pipe. The pipe may be capped on the top andprovided with air escape openings, or the pipe may be open at the top,as found desirable.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which is intended especiallyfor large distributers, a center bearing for the distributer head A isprovided, this center bearing being formed by bearing sleeve 15 carriedby arms 16 on the journal C, and depending bearing sleeve 17 on the cap.Air escape ports 3 are provided in sleeve 17 close to the cap throughwhich the air from the top of the journal may pass to air escape pipe14.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 is the same as that shown in Figs. 1and 2 except that the center bearing is omitted, the structure beingYentirely satisfactory without the center bearing except in largedistributers and a positive stop is provided to avoid all possibility ofthe head being thrown off the journal by a sudden increase of pressuresuch as not to be relieved by openings 13. In this construction thejournal C is provided with a shoulder or stop 4 which is engaged by theupper end 5 of the sleeve portion of head A inclosing the ournal whenthe head rises too high, thus forming a positive stop forthe head. Thisstop feature may be applied also to the construction shown in Figs.

1 and 2 and may be provided in any suitable manner, as, for instance, bya series of stop vso arms 6 carried by the distributer head or spool Aand engaging the bottom of the journal C, as shown in Fig. 1.

The operation of the construction will be understood from the drawingsand a brief description. The pressure of the liquid to be distributedadmitted through the inlet 10 to the interior of the journal C raisesthe head A to open the passage between the surfaces 1, 2, and the liquidthus passes out to the distributing tubes B, in which the slots orperforations are so arranged as to cause the head to rotate anddistribute the liquid over the whole surface covered bythe tubes. Aliquid bearing is thus provided between the cap and the top of thejournal, by which the weight cf the distributing head is supported andfriction and wear thus greatly reduced while oil lubrication is notrequired. If the distributer choke or otherwise the pressure becomessufficient to raise the head A too high, causing liability of injury,the

vertical sleeve portion of the head A is raised above the reliefopenings 13, and the liquid escapes from these openings so as to reducethe pressure. The stop 3 avoids all danger of thehead being thrown oi'fby any sudden large increase of pressure, not sufficiently relieved byopenings 13.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limitedto theparticular construction or arrangement of parts illustrated, but thatthese may be varied widely while retaining the invention defined by theclaims.

What I claim is 1. rlhe combination with a liquid receiving journal, ofa distributing head mounted to rotate andl slide on said journal, andbearing surfaces on the head and journal separated by the slidingmovement of the head for the passage of liquid between thesurfaces'whereby a liquid bearing is formed between the head andjournal.

2. The combination with a liquid receiving journal, of a distributinghead mounted to rotate and slide on said journal, bearing surfaces onthe head and journal separated by the sliding movement of the head forthe passage of liquid between the surfaces, whereby a liquid bearing isformed between the head and journal, and relief passages from thejournal openedby the sliding movement of the head.

v3. The combination with a liquid receiving journal, of a distributinghead mounted to rotate and slide on said journal, bearing surfaces onthe head and journal separated by the sliding movement of the head forthe passage of liquid between the surfaces, whereby a liquid bearing isformed between the head and journal, relief passages from the journalopened by the sliding movement 4of the head, and a stop to preventexcessive sliding movement of the head.

1. The combination with a liquid receiving journal, of a distributinghead mounted to rotate and slide on said journal, bearing surfaces onthe head and journal separated by the sliding movement of the head forthe passage of liquid between the surfaces, whereby a liquid bearing isformed between the head and journal, and an air escape pipe openingupward from the journal through the head.

5. The combination with a liquid supply journal C, o-f distributer headA having a sleeve inclosing the said journal and closed at the top bycap 12, distributing tubes B carried by the head, said distributing headbeing free to be raised by the pressure of the liquid on cap 12 to openan annular liquid passage between the cap and top of the joui'- nal forthe supply of liquid to the distributing head, substantially asdescribed.

G. The combination with a liquid supply journal C, of distributer head Ahaving a sleeve inclosing the said journal and closed at the top by cap12, distributing tubes B carried by the head, said distributing headbeing free to be raised by the pressure of the liquid on cap 12 to openan annular liquid passage between the cap and top of the joui'- nal foi`the supply of liquid to the distributing head, and relief passages 13 inthe journal opened by the upward movement of the head, substantially asdescribed.

7 rl`he combination with a liquid supply journal C, of distributer headA having a sleeve inclosing the saidjournal and closed at the top by cap12, distributing tubes B carried by the head, said distributing headbeing free to be raised by the pressure of the liquid on cap 12 to openan annular liquid passage between the cap and top of the journal for thesupply of liquid to the distributing head, relief passages 13 in thejournal opened by the upward movement of the head, and a stop for thehead, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a liquid supply journal C, of distributer head Ahaving a sleeve inclosing the said journal and closed at the top by cap12, distributing tubes B carried by the head, said distributing headbeing free to be raised by the pressure of the liquid on cap 12 to openan annular liquid passage between the cap and top of the journal for thesupply of liquid to the distributing head, and air escape pipe 111-extending upward from the cap, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a liquid supply journal C, of distributer head Ahaving a sleeve inclosing the said journal and closed at the top by cap12, distributing tubes B carried by the head, said distributing headbeing free to be raised by the pressure of the liquid on cap 12 to openan annular liquid passage between the cap and top of the journal for thesupply of liquid to the distributinfnl head, and a central verticalsleeve bearing between the head and journal, substantially as described.

10. A liquid distributer having a dis- 5 tributer head mounted to rotatehorizontally and slide vertically, and surfaces on the head and itssupport between which the liquid;

passes and separated by the sliding movement of the head under pressureof the 10 liquid, whereby a liquid bearing is formed for the head andthe iow of liquid controlled by the sliding` movement of the head.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence oftwo 'subscribing` witnesses.

JOHN F. GRACE.

Witnesses J. A. GRAVES, C. J. SAWYER.

